New eucalyptus-powered biomass plant planned for Brazil

The values of eucalyptus investments in Brazil are set to rise with the building of a new biomass power station, due for completion at the end of 2012.

The Dow Chemical Company will develop the power generation system at its Aratu Complex production facility, where it will operate alongside the company's other fuel production methods already undertaken there.

When the biomass project - which burns the high-energy, oil-rich eucalyptus timber - is completed, the Aratu complex will obtain nearly 75 per cent of its own power requirement through it and the steam and hydropower it will create through its own cogeneration plant.

The eucalyptus wood biomass will also generate the steam for use in its chlor-alkali and chlorohydrin manufacturing processes at the facility.

The development of the plant has been contracted in agreement with the Brazilian green energy initiative, Energias Renováveis do Brasil (ERB). Its green credentials will mean the reduction of more than 180,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide annually, while saving more than 200,000 cubic metres of natural gas each day.

Dow’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Andrew Liveris, said the company was constantly looking for ways to better their energy efficiency and carbon footprint. He said he was confident that their commitment towards green energy projects like Aratu would bring in tremendous societal and economic gains.